Range target



Jan. 4, 1938.

F. H. SCHWERIN 2,104,171

vRANGE TARGET Filed Jan. 2, 1935 4 sheets-sheet 2 Jan. 4, 1938.

F. H. SCHWERIN RANGE TARGET Filed Jan. 22, 1935 Sheets-Sheet 5 me NS mO NOF I INVENTOR @ha ATTOR E Jan. 4, 1938. F. H. SCHWERIN RANGE TARGET Filed Jan. 22, 1935 4 Sheets-Shee'tA INVENTOR MA BY ATTORN Patented Jan. 4, 1938 RANGE TARGET Frank H. Schwerin, Bellevue, Pa., assignor to The Duif-Norton Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 22, 1935, Serial No. 2,902

8 Claims. (Cl. 273-4055) This invention relates to improvements in target apparatus for shooting ranges. The invention relates more particularly to apparatus for changing the positions of the targets and to control means for causing the targets to remain in their various positions for predetermined periods of time and then change their positions in synchronism.

In revolver and rifle marksmanship competition a contestant is allowed a given length of time in which to fire his shots, and the expiration of the allotted time is ordinarily determined by a referee with a stop-watch. This method of timing firing periods is often unsatisfactory.

l5 Disputes arise as to whether the referee terminated the ring period in exact accordance with the stop-watch, or whether the last shot of a certain contestant was actually fired after the elapsed time. Disputes arise also over differences 3 in stop-Watches.

It is an object of this invention to eliminate the human element from the determination of the allotted time in revolver and rie marksmanship competition. The invention attains this .3 object by automatically rotating the targets out of shooting position upon termination of the allotted ring period. This removal of the targets eliminates the possibility of one contestant taking an unfair advantage of others by firing one last shot after the allotted period. The timing is mechanical. Every contestant knows that he has a fair and equal chance, and disputes are eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide g5 a target-carrying frame which can be rotated on its supporting structure to turn the target to face the shooter or turn it edgewise toward the shooter. Another object is to provide a targetcarrying frame of the type indicated with means 4.o for moving the frame from a position in the line of fire to a protected position for inspecting and replacing targets in addition to the rotational movement of the target. On outdoor ranges the targets are ordinarily lowered into a pit for in- .'5 spection and replacement, while indoor targets are usually moved horizontally into a, position where the targets can be replaced with safety. This invention can be embodied in either the indoor or outdoor type of target apparatus. so ther objects of the invention are to combine a target-carrying frame with simple and eiectlve mechanism for rotating the frame to turn the target alternately to face the shooter and into a position edgewise toward the shooter, and to pro- 55 vide control means for causing the mechanism to operate at predetermined times. One part of the control means comprises a novel timer which is particularly simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which can be accurately set for diierent firing periods quickly and conveniently.

Other objects of the invention are to provide improved mechanism for raising and lowering targets on a range having a target pit, and to control the movements of a number of targets so that they move into or out of shooting position simultaneously.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof:

Fig. l is a front elevation of three target devices located in a pit and with their target-carrying frames in raised position so that the targets are in the line of fire;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the target devices shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, but with the target-carrying frame shown in lowered position and the wiring diagram of the motor control circuit shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a part of the mechanism for edging the targets;

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram including the motor and control switch shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary View, partly in section along the line 5 6 of Fig. 4, showing the cam means by which the target-carrying frames are turned;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 'I-T of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a modied form of the invention designed for indoor use;

Fig. 9 is a front View of the modied form of the invention shown in Fig.' 8;

Fig. l0 is a top view of a device for timing the operation of the targets, the cover of the timer being removed; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the timer shown in Fig. 10, with the cover in closed position.

Fig. 1 shows three target devices I0, il and l2 located in a pit at the end of a shooting range. Each of these target devices includes a xed frame structure I4 which rests on the bottom l5 of the pit. The top of the xed frame structure is lower than the edge of the pit. The pit edge or ground level is indicated in Fig. 1 by the reference character I6.

A target-carrying frame I8 is connected to the upper end of a shaft I9 which is carried by a movable supporting frame 20 which slides vertically in the fixed frame. A target 2l is carried by the frame I 8. Weights 22 are connected to the ends of cords 23 which pass over pulleys 24 at the upper end of the fixed frame, and are fastened to the movable frame 20 to counterbalance the weight of the movable frame and target-carrying frame.

The movable frame 2li is raised and lowered by sprocket 28 near the bottom of the fixed frame.

The chain 26 is fastened to the movable frame 20 by a connection 33. The Wheel 21 is supported from the fixed frame I4 for rotation about a xed axis.

The sprocket 28 is secured to a drive shaft 32 which turns in bearings 33 (Fig. 2) on the fixed frame I4. The drive shaft 32 extends beyond the fixed frame and is connected with the cor responding shaft of the next target device by a coupling 35. The drive shafts of all of the target devices in the pit are connected in thismanner so that they turn as a unit.

A sprocket 36 is secured to the drive shaft of the target device il. The sprocket 36 is connected with a driving sprocket 37 by a chain 38. The driving sprocket receives its power from an electric motor 39 through a worm-gear speed reducer 40. Simultaneous rising and lowering of the targets is assured by the use of the common motor 39 for moving all of the targets. Although an electric motor is a convenient source of power, other operating means for rotating the drive shafts 32 can be employed, such as a manually-operated crank connected to the sprocket 3l.

'Fig l shows the targets 2|in raised position and facing the shooters. After the targets have been fired at, the motor 39,Y is operated to lower the supporting frames 20 and target-carrying frames I8 into the pit so that the targets are below the top edge of the pit and out of the line of re. In this lowered position the targets can be inspected and replaced with perfect safety. When targets are to be raised again into shooting position, the motor 39 is rotated in the reverse direction and the frames and targets are moved into their raised positions shown in Fig. l.

A limit andreversing switch 42 on the fixed frame ofthe target device II has an operating arm 43 in position to be moved downward by the supporting frame 23 as it reaches its lower limit of movement. As the frame 2l! reaches its upper limit of movement, it displaces a lever 44 which is connected to the switch operating arm 43 by a link 45, the exact length of which can be adjusted by a turnbuckle 45.

, The switch 42 and its connections to the motor 39 are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3. The switch 42 is a double-throw switch and closes the circuit from a power line 4'? to one side or the other of a reversing switch 48. The reversing switch is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by a spring 48a. In this position the switch 48 connects the lower contact of the switch 42 with the motor 39 in a manner to cause rotation of the motor in a direction to raise the targets. A solenoid 481 is connected with the switch 48, and this solenoid, when energized, shifts the reversing switch and holds it in position to supply power to the motor from the upper contact of switch 42 and in a manner to cause rotation of -other in the judges stand so that the raising and lowering of the targets can be controlled from either location.

The construction of the iixed frame I 4 is shown in detail in Figs. l, 3 and 7. Each side of the frame is made from two vertically extending angles 5I) which are rigidly fastened to the plates 5I. The sides of the fixed frame are connected by horizontal angles 53 which are bolted to the upper and lower ends of the vertical angles 53. A vertical guide 54, best shown in Figs. l and '7, is fastened to the tie plates 5I on each side of the fixed frame. The movable frame 23 fits loosely between the guides 54 and has extensions 55 which cooperate with the guides 54 to prevent forward and `aft displacement of the movable frame.

When the target-carrying frames are in their raised positions, they can be rotated to turn them edgewise toward the shooters. The frames I 8 are shown in such positions by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 2. The mechanism for turning the targets is best shown in Figs. 4 and 6. A casting El is rigidly fastened to vertical angles 53 of the movable supporting frame 25 and forms a part of the supporting frame. A thrust collar 69 bears against the upper portion 6l of the casting 51 and carries the weight of the frame I8. The shaft I9 extends through bearings in the upper portionY 6I and lower portion 62 of the casting 5l. A collar 33 on the shaft I9 just below the upper portion of the casting 5l prevents upward movement of the shaft I9 and its connected frame I8.

A sleeve 64 surrounds the lower part of the shaft I9. There is a cam slot 65 (Fig. 6) in the sleeve 64, and a pin 56 extends from the shaft I9 into the cam slot and serves as a cam follower. The sleeve 64 has a flange 68 (Fig. Ll) at its lower end, and this flange straddles guide rods 69 which extend between the upper and lower portions of the casting 5l and prevent the flange and sleeve from turning. An electric motor 'i0 is supported from the casting 51 by hangers 'II. A screw shaft 'I2 extends from the motor shaft in alinement with the shaft I9.

A nut I4 is fastened to straps 'I5 and these straps are secured to the sleeve 343 at their upper ends. The screw shaft l2 threads through the nutl 'I4 so that rotation of the motor moves the nut I4 up or down, depending on the direction of rotation, and raises or lowers the sleeve 64. This vertical movement of the sleeve 64 causes the cam slot 35 to move the cam follower or pin 56 so as to rotate the shaft I9.

The angular extent of the cam slot B5 about the axis of the shaft I9 is substantially 90 degrees so that the shaft is turned through a right angle when the sleeve moves the full Ylength of the cam slot. The ends of the cam slot are substantially vertical, however, so that the rst and last parts of the movement of the cam slot produce no rotation of the shaft I9. This feature of the cam slot allows considerable latitude in the position at which the movement of the sleeve 55 must stop. It is important for the target to facey the shooter with the plane of the target at right angles to the line of re, in one position, and to be disposed at right angles to this position when turned edgewise to the shooter.

The vertical end portions of the cam slot 65 allow considerable variation in the position in which the motor and sleeve 64 can stop Without affecting the final positions of the target, and also serve as locks to hold the targets in position against severe wind conditions or other external forces, and permit a low starting torque motor to attain speed before taking the load.

A switch 11 attached to one of the angles 58 has an arm 18 extending through a bracket 19. The bracket 19 moves up and down as a unit with the sleeve 64 and has screws 80 which serve as abutments for moving the arm 18 to operate the switch 11 when the sleeve 64 approaches either' its upper or lower limit of movement. The screws thread through the bracket 19 and can be adjusted to operate the switch 11 earlier or later to obtain the desired movement of the sleeve 64.

Fig. 5 shows a wiring diagram for the switch 11. This switch is of the double-throw type and supplies power selectively to opposite sides of a reversing switch 8|, which is normally closed in one direction by a spring 8|a but is thrown and held closed in the opposite direction by a solenoid 82 when this solenoid is energized. The supply or" power to the solenoid 82 is controlled by a timer or' timing device 83, which will be described fully in the explanation of Figs. 1D and 11. The diagrammatic illustration of the timer in Fig. 5 shows a disk S5, which rotates at a substantially uniform speed and carries with it a projection 86 and an arm 81. The end of this arm extends beyond the end of the disk for substantially the same distance as the projection 86. A relatively xed contact 88 is located close to the periphery of the disk in position to be brushed by the projection 86 and arm 81 as they rotate with the disk. When either the projection 86 or the arm 81 is touching the contact 88, a circuit is closed to the solenoid 82 and the solenoid is energized. A manually operated momentary-contact switch 89 can be closed to energize the solenoid 82 at any time. The supply of power to the timer is controlled by a switch 90.

The switch 11 is similar to the switch 42 and has its movable contact or blade portion connected with the power line. The switch 11 has xed contacts 9! and 92, which are connected with contacts 93 and 94, respectively, of the reversing switch 8|. When the sleeve E4 approaches the downward limit of its travel, the arm 18 is moved downward and the bladey portion of the switch is moved into Contact with the fixed contact 92, as shown in Fig. 4. The switch 11 remains in this position until the sleeve 64 approaches the upper limit of its travel and the arm 18 is lifted to move the blade portion of the switch away from the fixed contact 92 and into contact with the upper iixed contact 9|.

When the switch 11 is closed against its lower contact 92 and the switch 8| is in the position shown in Fig. 5, current flows from the power line through the switch 11 to the contact 9e, and through a conductor 95 of the switch 8| to a contact 98, which is connected with the armature circuit of the motor 18. The held of the motor 18 is connected in series with the armature through a conductor 91 of the switch 8|.

When the switch 11 is closed against the upper contact 9i, the circuit to the motor is not complete beyond the contact 93 unless the solenoid 82 is energized to shift a conductor 98 into position to complete the circuit to the motor armature. Current supplied through the conductor 98 ows through the armature of the motor 10 in a reverse direction from that supplied through the conductor 95, and thus reverses the direction of rota-tion of the motor, the iield current remaining unchanged.

A conductor 98a of the switch 8| connects the armature and iield of the motor 18 when the solenoid 82 is energized. The conductors 95 and 01 are moved away from their switch contacts by the solenoid 82. A resistance coil 99 in series with the motor 18 limits the motor speed and obtains smoother operation of the targets. The resistance 99 is variable because different amounts of resistance are desirable, depending upon the number of target motors controlled by the timer.

All of the target devices are connected in parallel with the timer by conductors |00, as shown in Fig. 1. Since the timer is portable it is preferably connected with the conductors |00 through plug and receptacle connections |888. The conductors |00 connect with a xed receptacle |08b (Fig. 3) at the top of the xed frame structure I4. A plug |80c is carried by the movable supporting frame 20 and has contacts which cooperate with complementary contacts in the receptacle to complete the circuit between the conductors |08 and the electrical apparatus in the movable supporting frame 20. Since the motor in the movable supporting frame is operated only when the frame is in .its raised position, there is no necessity for connecting this motor with the conductors |08 when the movable frame is in a lowered position. This receptacle and plug connection avoids trailing wires leading to the movable supporting frame, and protects the target-rotating mechanism from accidental operation at times when it is impossible for the target to rotate.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a modified form of the invention for indoor use. The target-carrying frame |8 rests on the collar 60 on a supporting frame |0|, which houses target-rotating mechanism similar to that shown in Figs. 4-6. The

frame |0| has a base with wheels |02 running if on a track |03. An armor plate |84 protects the frame |0| from low bullets. This plate slopes forward to allow space for the target-carrying frame I8 to swing into its edgewise position and to deflect the bullets downward.

The target apparatus shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is pulled forward along the track |03 to the shooter when a target is to be replaced. An endless cable can be employed to move the target apparatus along the track |03. Since the mechanism for edging the target is operated only when the apparatus is at the far end of the track |83, it is not necessary to have any power connections to the apparatus except when it is at that end of the track. Contacts in a socket |88 are connected with the conductors |08 leading to the timer. Contacts |09 and ||0 carried by the frame |8| touch the contacts in the socket |06 when the target apparatus is at the far end of the track. This feature of the invention makes it unnecessary to have a trolley for supplying power to the target-rotating motor in the frame |0| and has the further advantage that the apparatus can not be operated unless it is the full distance from the shooter.

Figs. 10 and 11 show the construction of the timer 83. A case ||5 has a cover IIE connected to it by a hinge ||1. The cover is removed in Fig. 10 to expose the means for setting the timer. A panel ||8 covers the motor chamber of the case H5, and a glass panel 9 covers` the switch chamber.

A uniform-speed electric motor |2| drives a pinion gear |22 through bevel gearing |23. The pinion gear |22 drives a large gear |25 which turns freely on a shaft |26 extending from the motor frame. The hub of the gear is tapered and extends into a tapered recess in a collar |28 to form a cone clutch |29. The collar |23 is secured to a shaft |30 and to the hub of the disk 85. The shaft |30 extends upward above the glass panel ||8 and has a knob |3| at its upper end. The knob is of insulating material and is secured to the shaft |30 by a pin |32. The ends of the pin are covered by an insulating sleeve |33 so that an attendant can not receive a shock from the pin.

The disk 85 is driven by the motor |2| through the clutch |28, but the friction of this clutch is light enough to permit the disk to be rotated by the knob |3| independently of the motor.

The arm 81 has a hub |35 which turns freely on the shaft 130. A knob |38, of insulating material, is secured to the hub |35 and is used to turn the arm 81 with respect to the disk 85. The disk has a circle of indexing holes |36, and the arm 81 has a protuberance |31 which extends into any of these indexing holes with which it is in register. When the protuberance |81 is in any of the indexing holes |36, the arm 81 turns as a unit with the disk 85. When the setting of the timer is to be changed, the setting knob |38 is lifted slightly and turned to engage the desired indexing hole with pin |31.

The contactV 88 is carried by a bracket |40 which is fastened to the panel H8. The contact 88 has no angular movement about the axis of the disk 85, but the bracket yields to permit a slight radial movement of the contact 88 when the projection 88 and arm 81 brush against it.

When the projection 88 breaks its contact with the contact 88, the firing period begins. When the end of the arm 81 touches the contact 88 the firing period is terminated. The timer shown in the drawings rotates the disk 85 once in six minutes. A firing period of one minute is obtained, therefore, when the disk must move ten degrees, after the projection 86 leaves contact 88, to bring the arm 81 against the contact 88. Legends at the indexing holes indicate the firing period obtained with the arm 81 set at each indexing hole.

The length of the contact 88 which bears against the projection 86 and arm 81 determines the length of the period during which the targets remain edgewise toward the shooters. rEhe contact 88 shown in the drawings is designed to give an edgewise period of five seconds. The projection 88 and the arm 81 are a part of the electric circuit in the timer illustrated, but it will' be understood that the contact 88 may be replaced by a momentary contact switch and the projection 86 and arm 81 employed as cam means for closing such a switch in a circuit of which they are not a part.

The operation of the invention will be reviewed briefly. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the cycle of operation of the targets starts with the targetcarrying frames I8 in their lowered positions below the top edge i6 of the pit. With the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 3, power is supplied to the motor 39 through the lower Contact of the switch 42, and the motor rotates the shaft 32 in a direction to raise all of the targets into shooting position, as shown in Fig. 1. This rising of the targets from the pit is a signal to the shooters to take their places on the line and to load.

The timer 83 (Fig. 5) is then started, the disk 85 having been set so that the projection 88 will touch the contact 88 almost immediately after the starting of the timer. As soon vas the projection touches the contact 88 the targets turn into the positions shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 2 edgewise toward the shooters, and dwell in this position for ve seconds.

At the end of ve seconds the projection 88 moves away from the contact 88 and the targets turn back into the shooting position shown in Fig. 1. This reappearance of the targets is the signal to 1I-ire.

The targets remain in shooting position until the arm 81 of the timer moves into contact with the contact 88. When the arm touches this contact, the target-turning mechanism rotates the targets into their edgewise positions and terminates the ring period. The targets remain edgewise to the shooters for a period of five seconds while the arm 81 brushes across the contact 88, and then return to shooting position so that they can be lowered into the pit for inspection and replacement. The motor 39 (Figs. 1 and 3) is operated to lower the targets by operating leither of the switches 49 to close the circuit to the solenoid 48h so that the switch 48 is moved into position to connect the motor with the upper Contact of the switch 42. Since the switch l2 is closed against its upper contact when the Ytargets are raised, this movement of the switch 48 connects the motor with the power line and causes rotation of the motor in a direction to lower the targets.

The preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, but other embodiments can be made within the scope of the claims, and some Vfeatures of the invention can be used alone.V

I claim:

1. Target apparatus comprising a target-carrying frame, a vertical shaft supporting the frame and extending downward from the frame, a bearing in which the shaft rotates, a motor, an operating member operatively connected with the the motor, and cam means between the shaft and said operating member for causing the shaft to rotate and turn the target-carrying frame in response to vertical movements of said operating member.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a target-carrying frame, supporting means for said frame, a shaft connecting the frame with said supporting means for rotary movement with respect to said supporting means, a fixed structure to which said supporting means is movably connected for vertical movement with respect to the fixed structure to raise the target frame into the line of re or lower it into a pit for inspection and replacement of targets, and mechanism carried by the supporting means and movable with the supporting means as a unit, said mechanism including an electric motor, a motion transmitting connection which is moved vertically by the rotary movement of the motor, and cam means between the shaft and said connection for causing a partial rotation of the shaft in response to vertical movement of said motion transmitting connection.

3. In a target range for marksmanship competition, stationary supporting means located in a pit and holding a plurality of target frames which are movable with respect to the supporting means to raise said target frames above the pit or lower them into the pit for inspection and renewal of targets, and mechanism limiting the exposure of each target to the contestants to an -exactly equal time, said mechanism including means for causing each of the target frames to turn about an upwardly extending axis passing through that frame to bring a target carried by the frame into a posiiton edgewise toward the shooter, and connections between the turning means of the separate target frames for causing all of said turning means to operate simultaneously so that the targets of the respective contestants face or turn away from them at the same instant.

4. Target apparatus for marksmanship competitions in which each contestant must rire his shots within an allotted period of time, said apparatus including in combination a supporting structure which remains stationary at one end of the range during the firing period, a targetcarrying frame supported by said structure and movable up and down with respect to said structure to raise said frame into the line of iire or lower it into a protected position, said frame being also rotatable with respect to the supporting structure about an axis transverse of the line of fire so that a target on the frame can be moved into a position facing the contestant or edgewise toward the contestant, motor means for causing the frame to turn quickly between its positions facing and edgewise toward the contestant, and automatic mechanical means insuring to the contestant the exact firing period alloted to him, said automatic mechanism including a timer a switch operated by the timer for operating the motor means to turn the target to face the contestant and after a given lapse of time to operate the motor means to turn the target edgewise toward the contestant.

5. Target apparatus for marksmanship competitons in which each contestant must iire his shots within an allotted period of time, said apparatus including in combination a supporting structure which remains stationary at one end of the range during the firing period, a target-carrying frame supported by said structure for rotation about an axis transverse of the line of fire so that a target on the frame can be moved into a position facing the contestant or edgewise toward the contestant, means for causing the frame to turn quickly, said means comprising an electric motor, a vertically extending screw driven by the motor, a nut on said screw constructed and arranged to be raised and lowered by the rotation of the screw in one direction or the other, a cam and follower, one of which is connected with the nut and the other with the target-carrying frame to rotate said frame in response to vertical movement o-f the nut.

6. Target apparatus comprising a stationary supporting structure for location in a pit, a target-carrying frame movable on the supporting structure to raise the frame above the pit into the line of re or lower the frame into the pit for the inspection and replacement of targets, and mechanism for turning the target-carrying frame with respect to the supporting structure to bring a target into position facing the line of fire or edgewise of the line of fire, said mechanism including electric motor means on the target-carrying frame and movable up and down with said frame as the latter is raised and lowered, and means for supplying power to said motor means when the frame is in an elevated position.

7. Target apparatus comprising a stationary supporting structure for location in a pit, a target-carrying frame movable on the supporting structure to raise the frame above the pit into the line of ire or lower the frame into the pit for the inspection and replacement of targets, and mechanism for turning the target-carrying frame with respect to the supporting structure to bring a target into position facing the line of fire or edgewise of the line of lre, said mechanism comprising an electric motor, a vertically extending screw driven by the motor, a nut on said screw constructed and arranged to be raised and lowered by the rotation of the screw in one direction or the other, a cam and follower, one of which is connected with the nut and the other with the target-carrying frame to rotate said frame in response to vertical movement of the nut.

8. In or for a target range, iixed supporting means for location in a pit, a plurality of targetcarrying frames movable up and down with respect to said supporting means for raising targets above the pit and into the line of iire or lowering them into the pit for inspection and renewal, at least a part of each of said frames being rotatable with respect to the supporting means about an upwardly extending axis to turn the target edgewise toward a shooter, sprocket chains connected with the respective frames, wheels over which the chains run, said wheels being carried by the supporting means and including driving sprockets for the respective chains, shafting connecting the sprockets so that all of them operate simultaneously to raise or lower the target-carrying frames, and mechanism connected with said frames for rotating them simultaneously about their upwardly extending axes to edge the targets or turn them to face the line of re.

FRANK H. SCHWERIN. 

